Resident education/Support groups

Using technology to improve care, reduce costs

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Using technology to improve care, reduce costs At Maimonides Medical Center, 24 frail older adults were taught to use laptops so that they could manage their health information from home. The technology facilitated communication between patients and providers and improved the quality of life of participants. … Read more

Help in your backyard

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Help in your backyard Amy Gotwals, the Chief of Public Policy and External Affairs at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, kicked off the 28th Annual Aging Conference in New York City last week, held at the New York Academy of Medicine and filled … Read more

Interview with the Commissioner of the NYC Dept of Aging (Silo-Busting)

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Silo-busting Ideas from an interview with Dr. Donna Corrado, Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging Within long-term care, overcoming the problems caused by silos can lead to better care coordination, increased interdepartmental cooperation and reduced work redundancy. My 1-on-1 interview with Donna … Read more

Correcting long-term care’s image problem

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Correcting long-term care’s image problem Long-term care has an image problem. For a variety of reasons, we aren’t associated with good times. There are things we can do to turn this around, though, starting with the perceptions of our residents. Most people who come to live … Read more

6 steps to manage post-election reactions in LTC

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: 6 steps to manage post-election reactions in LTC The 2016 presidential election has revealed a deep rift in our country, and quite possibly in our long-term care facilities as well. While some employees and residents are pleased about the election results, it’s likely that others in … Read more

NYTimes: Too Old for Sex? Not at This Nursing Home

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Food for thought in this New York Times article: Too Old for Sex? Not at This Nursing Home By WINNIE HU JULY 12, 2016 When Audrey Davison met someone special at her nursing home, she wanted to love her man. Her nurses and aides at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale did not try to stop … Read more

Depression – AND its treatments – are fall risks

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Depression – AND its treatments – are fall risks Feeling “down” takes on a wicked double-meaning for some seniors. Even conscientious providers could be unaware of it, let alone know what to do about it. As McKnight’s Staff Writer Emily Mongan points out in “Depression treatments … Read more

Dr. El’s subversive guide to culture change

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Dr. El’s subversive guide to culture change We often think of culture change as a formal process initiated by company leaders that involves setting organizational goals and moving employees in big and small ways toward those goals. But culture change also can be a grassroots effort … Read more

Dr. El’s Shrinky LTC Fantasy

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Dr. El’s Shrinky LTC Fantasy I hung up the phone with the managed care case reviewer. The patient in question was in her late 50s, with multiple sclerosis and other physical problems that had unexpectedly interfered with her ability to return home or even to sit … Read more

Diabetes care: Take two betta fish and call me in a week

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Diabetes care: Take two betta fish and call me in a week More than 25% of the US population over the age of 65 years has diabetes1 and the numbers are far higher for those in long-term care. (Approximately one third of nursing home residents have … Read more